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now greater comfort with this amongst cooperate with each other to minimise confi dentiality, speed, and Intellectual
Indian project promoters.” capital investment needs and better Property Rights, the worry of academi-
utilisation of assets.” cians relate to continuity of funding and
Mr. Karthik Bharat Ram, President, the possibilities for publication. “Indus-
ICC, pointed out that China’s growth Mr. Gogri also called upon the try can benefi t if it understands the pain
in speciality chemicals has come with chemical industry to channelise Cor- points. Academia will have to still rely
strong collaborations with academia. porate Social Responsibility (CSR) on government funding for creating
“Technological advances and inno- funds for R&D in government-funded infrastructure, while operating expenses
vations will be essential to maintain research institutions focusing on com- can be funded by the research project,”
the growth momentum,” he noted. mon industry problems like effl uent he added.
Ms. RamyaBharatram, Vice President, treatment, energy effi ciency etc. “The
ICC, pointed to the perennial shortage SusChem Welfare Foundation of ICC Hydrogen ecosystem development
of good chemical engineers coming can take the lead in this. He also called Dr. Ashish Lele, Director, CSIR-
into the industry, compelling the indus- upon the government to reinstate the National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-
try to make do with what is available. 200% weighted tax deduction for R&D NCL), Pune, dwelt on the laboratory’s
“It is a challenge for SMEs to manage and introduce a ‘First in India’ Scheme – systemic efforts in conceptualizing
the necessity for innovation through on the lines of Production Linked the Pune Hydrogen Valley Innovation
partnerships, including with Tier-2 Incentive (PLI) Scheme – which will Cluster (P-HVIC) Project, in collabora-
academic institutions. Many countries match 5% of sales for the fi rst fi ve years tion with 13 industry partners. This
have managed to do this effectively and of a chemical made for the fi rst time in ambitious project aims to demonstrate
there are learnings for Indian industry India. two hydrogen production routes – the
in their efforts,” she observed. bio-route and electrolysis – with a target
Differing priorities of academic and to produce 0.7-ktpa of green hydrogen,
‘Emphasis on improving cost industrial researchers which will be consumed by the fi ne &
effi ciency needed’ Dr. Sunil Bhagwat, Director, Indian specialty chemical industries in MIDC,
Mr. Rajendra Gogri, Chairman and Institute of Science Education and Kurkumbh near Pune.
Managing Director, Aarti Industries Research (IISER), Pune, noted that the
Ltd., pointed to the many challenges priorities for academic researchers are Additionally, the project will show-
facing India’s chemical industry. These very different from that of industrial case hydrogen storage using four dif-
include limited feedstock availability; researchers, and these differences need ferent technologies, highlighting the
dependence on imports from China for to be fi rst recognised. versatility and potential of hydrogen as a
chemical intermediates; poor cost com- sustainable energy source. A key feature
petitiveness; and lack of an integrated The primary focus of the former of the P-HVIC is the development of two
approach to produce many chemicals. is in “producing the researcher”, and commercial hydrogen-fuelled vehicles:
‘impact’ is given less importance than one powered by a fuel cell and the other
“The trade defi cit in chemicals is ‘Impact Factor.’ Applications take the by an internal combustion engine. The
rising and the ‘China threat’ needs back seat, even as citations become project also includes the establishment
policy interventions,” he added. “The more important, and the focus is on of a hydrogen dispensing station, further
government must increase import tariffs generation of new ideas and concepts supporting the infrastructure needed for
across the board and simultaneously that aim to stretch the current bounda- a robust hydrogen ecosystem.
increase the duty drawback rates to ries of knowledge. Industrial research,
protect exporters.” To tackle the chal- on the other hand, is usually devoted “The programme is just beginning
lenges, he urged the Indian chemical to areas of current or short-term inte- and will be an exciting journey,”
industry to emphasise cost effi ciency rests, and funding is rarely an issue, if Dr. Lele observed. “Indigenisation is
improvements for existing products already justifi ed to management. “The crucial for lowering capex and enabling
through more effi cient utilisation of purpose is to outdo the competition, widespread adoption of fuel cell and
materials, energy and labour, as well as and the interest is in patents and com- electrolyser technology, become self-
improved asset management practices. mercialisation, rather than publications, suffi cient and unlock export potential.
“The industry must focus on process conferences and more grants.” While Technology, talent and trust are abso-
optimisation using digital tools, auto- the primary worries of industry when it lutely essential to innovate and make in
mation, and data analytics, and must comes to partnering with academia are India.”

134 Chemical Weekly February 25, 2025

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